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Despite Rough Season, Future Is Bright For New Jersey Devils

By Ralph Mazzoni

Oct 25, 2016; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Devils center Pavel Zacha (37) skates with the puck against the Arizona Coyotes during the third period at Prudential Center. The Devils defeated the Coyotes 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 25, 2016; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Devils center Pavel Zacha (37) skates with the puck against the Arizona Coyotes during the third period at Prudential Center. The Devils defeated the Coyotes 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports /
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As the season dwindles down to the last couple of games you can see the standings and keep scrolling until you hit the bottom. That’s where you find the New Jersey Devils. A way too familiar site for New Jersey and their fans.

It is important in tough times to look for some positives. Some positives that stick to mind is the New Jersey Devils will get a pretty decent draft pick with a shot to move up in the draft lottery.

The team will miss the playoffs for the fifth straight season. In doing so they have been able to draft towards the top of the draft board in recent years. This helps them in replenishing their prospect pool for the future.

All season long New Jersey has tried out young players. The likes of Nick Lappin, Stefan Noesen, Blake Colemen, Joe Blandisi, Miles Wood and most recently Kevin Rooney have been given a shot.

These players all bring a different type of game to the table, but calling a spade a spade they are not the answer. Sure these players can play in the NHL as third or fourth liners, but New Jersey needs to bank on some of these prospects to pan out and become first and second line players. It is nice to see these young guys get a chance, but in order for New Jersey to get back to the top of the standings in the near future they need more reliable help.

With another lost season looming, New Jersey needs to try and get as much prospects and young players into the lineup so they can test them on the NHL level. This will help the Devils moving forward into the future.

It is nice to see Pavel Zacha get a full season under his belt. He is having an up and down season, but you expect that from a 19 year old. With eight goals and eight assists, he started slow but has progressed with each and every game.

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In the near future Zacha should get some help from fellow 1st round prospect Michael McLeod, who is having himself a nice year at the junior level. If everything goes right McLeod could have an everyday roster spot next year with New Jersey.

Zacha and Mcleod are the two big prospects in the Devils system so far, but New Jersey will get another big time prospect in this years draft with its high first round pick. It’s exciting to see new high end prospects come through the system and bare hope for the future.

Things seem to be looking up for the New Jersey, but with drafting prospects comes patience. Devils have a lot of draft picks within the next couple of years so they have a chance to get some quality prospect help, so that is a positive.

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